British pickup builders Bare Knuckle have reunited with Adam “Nolly” Getgood for a pair of signature, vintage-inspired humbuckers for electric guitars.
The producer and former Periphery bass player has established himself on the cutting edge of modern gear and production in recent years. He is also the brains behind the much-loved Getgood Drusm plug-in.
The pair previously collaborated on the Polymath humbuckers, which bottled a versatile and distinctly modern tone. This time, the focus is on “taking the past into the future”.
As the name suggests, the pickups take their cues from PAF-style humbuckers and are built with 100 percent vintage correct parts. They feature a custom wind offset of 42AWG plain enamel wire, unoriented Alnico 5 rough cast magnets, and high carbon steel slugs under the wound strings.
Bare Knuckle says those ingredients result in his results in “exceptional dynamics and clarity,” while the “three-dimensionality of an authentic PAF-style set has been harnessed and paired with beautiful midrange and effortless playability,” that aims to harmonize vintage tones with modern needs.
The set emphasizes middle and treble over their bass response, with Bare Knuckle recommending them for solidbody and semiollow guitars that require greater headroom and a more controlled bottom end.
“I wanted the PolyPafs to be true players’ pickups,” Getgood says. “The bridge is ready to go anywhere your picking hand takes it. Plaintive cleans, vocal jazz-fusion leads, and raunchy open chords can be had at your slightest command.”
Although PAF recipes were a key influence in the Polypafs’ flavor, he adds that some tweaks were made to align them with Nolly’s modern standards.
“Where some PAF-style bridge pickups can feel weak and even harsh when driven, the PolyPaf bridge stands up to even the grainiest of tones with its rich midrange and firm low end,” he says. “Switch to the neck position and you’ll find the most addictively responsive gem of a humbucker.”
The neck and bridge pickups are available from £195.50 (approx $254) each , or £376.80 (approx $490) for a set.
They are available in six-string, seven-string, and eight-string formats and come with the full suite of Bare Knuckle's customization options.
Head to Bare Knuckle to learn more.
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